I put one hand around her waist and pull her to me. When I hold up my other hand, she puts her hand in it, and I bring it to my chest. “The music hasn’t started yet.” She looks at me and then smiles. “Shouldn’t we wait for the music?” It’s right then that the music comes on, and I throw my head back and laugh when the first beat comes out. “What song is this?”
““Die a Happy Man,”” I say, leaning in and kissing her. Then I sing the words to her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Savannah
Can someone’s face crack from smiling too much? I wonder to myself after all the guests have left our wedding reception. Married. I’m married to Beau. I look down at my left hand and take in my massive ring, my heart filling so big I think it might burst. “If you don’t like it, we can exchange it.” I hear his voice and look up at Beau.
His jacket is tossed somewhere. “No, it’s just a little bit too much?”
He shrugs his shoulders, walking to the little makeshift bar that they set up. I look around, and it is just the way I thought my wedding reception would be. I mean, when I thought about it, which wasn’t often, I wanted this, and I wanted him. He hands me a bottle of beer and sits down on one of the chairs. “Did you have fun?” He takes a long pull of his beer.
“I did,” I say, taking my own pull of my beer. “I remembered,” I say. “The kiss. I remember every single part of it.” He looks over at me. “I just wanted you to know.”
He smiles now. “Good to know. We’ll have a lot to compare it to.”
My stomach literally does the wave. “Is that so?” I take another pull.
“Yeah,” he says, and he looks at me as he finishes his beer. “Let’s go to bed.” He stretches his hand out, and I just watch him with I’m sure what is shock on my face or maybe even fear. “Not like that, Savannah. I mean, let’s go to sleep, so we can leave for the cabin early in the morning.”
I grab his hand, picking up my dress a bit and walking to the house. “What are we going to do for two days?”
“Sleep,” he says. “Talk.” Then he looks down. “There are things that I need to tell you.” My heart suddenly rushes fast. “Nothing to worry about. Just some things that should be said now that we are married.” I swallow.
“I like that idea,” I say, thinking it’s time to finally tell him how long I’ve been in love with him.
“Good,” he says. Turning off the lights, we make our way upstairs, and I don’t know if I should go to the spare bedroom or not. I mean, I know that he said he wants to sleep, but does he want to sleep in the same bed as me? This is stupid, I think to myself. We’ve slept in the same bed before, just not as husband and wife.
“I have all my stuff in the other room.” I point at the spare room with my thumb. “I’ll go change in there and meet you.”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” he says. The floor creaks under his steps as he walks toward me. “Do you need help getting out of your dress?” The way he looks at me, my hands get clammy and my knees almost wobble. “I can get the zipper for you.” When he stops in front of me, I can barely see his face with the lights off, and I want to see his eyes.
“Do you want me to?” he whispers, and I suddenly forgot what he had to say. The only thing I can remember is that the last time he kissed me was ten minutes ago, and it’s been far too long. He moves behind me, his fingers touching my arm lightly. My body is on high alert as he moves my hair from my neck. I look over my shoulder at him, his hand going to the zipper. He leans down now and kisses the back of my neck. If I wasn’t looking at him doing it, I would think it was my imagination. He unzips the dress, and I want him to take it off me and carry me to his room. I want to get lost in him. I want him to get lost in me. I want to get lost in us.
“Thank you,” I say to him, then turn to walk past him. I’m almost past him when he grabs my arm.
“I’ll see you soon,” he says, leaning down and kissing me. His lips on mine, his tongue dancing with mine. I thought that after the first couple of times we kissed that the butterflies would stop. I thought my heart wouldn’t speed up, but I don’t think I will ever be used to it. Just as fast as he kisses me, he is gone, leaving me holding myself up. I walk to the bedroom and hang up my wedding dress, then I get into the shower. After all, I did dance my ass off all night long. When I step out, I slip into my shorts and tank top, and I’m surprised to find Beau in my bed when I come out of the bathroom. He’s on his back, the covers at his waist, and he’s shirtless. One hand is propped behind his head, the other hand rests on his stomach, and his eyes are closed. I wait to see if he opens them, but when I hear small snores, I smile to myself and slide into bed beside him. I turn on my side and fall asleep fast, replaying our wedding day in my dreams.
His smile, his touch, his kisses—so much I don’t want to wake up. But something on top of me is pushing me down, and when I open my eyes, I see that Beau is all over me. I’m on my side and his front is to my back, his legs are on top of mine, and his arm is around my waist. I smile to myself, trying to find a way out of his grasp when I have to suddenly pee. I move just a touch, and he holds me tighter.
“I have to pee,” I whisper, and he opens one eye. “Morning,” I say, and this time it’s me who goes in for a kiss. Sure, it’s a fast kiss, a peck on the lips, but the fact I didn’t second-guess myself is huge. I think it even stuns him, giving me a chance to run to the bathroom.
“What time is it?” I ask from the bathroom after I pee, and I’m washing my hands.
“A little past seven,” he grumbles. I laugh when I walk out, and he’s sitting on the edge of the bed. “I must have drunk a bit too much last night,” he says, looking over at me. “I didn’t think I did.”
“Well, do you remember we got married?” I joke, and he laughs.
“The only thing I remember clearly is us getting married.” When he gets up, I look him up and down, and for once, I don’t feel guilty about it since he’s technically mine. “Do you want to grab some coffee and hit the road?”
He closes the distance between us, and I can do nothing but stare at him. “Yeah, that sounds good.” My mouth is suddenly dry. “I can be ready in ten minutes.”
“Okay, me, too.” He leans in and kisses me, and unlike my kiss, this one is all tongue. His hand tangles in my hair as he turns my head to deepen the kiss. He slowly ends the kiss, and my eyes slowly open.
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” he says, walking away from me. I wait for him to get to his room, then lean my back against the wall and let out the huge breath I was holding. I shake my head, trying not to think of him and his kisses while I overpack for the two days we’re going to be away. I do, however, pack the lingerie that Olivia slipped me yesterday when I was getting dressed. I just shoved it into the backpack without even looking at it. I put on my cutoffs and a tank top that falls just above my belly button. I slip on my flip-flops while I braid my hair and then walk out at the same time as he is walking out of his bedroom, wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt.